Shadows of the Past
by Spunky Mutt
Summary: Dragons have been extinct across Lylat for centuries, but when a strange pair of wolves appears, claiming to be possessed by the spirits of the last dragons, unexplained catastrophes follow wherever they go. It's up to Starfox to hunt them down and solve the mystery, but could the answer lie in the secrets of the past Krystal thought she had put behind her?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Well well well! Here we are after how many years? Too many, I say! I've been mulling over this story for a good long while, and I'm really excited to get it rolling. For those of you who don't know, this is a remake of my entirely-too-old fanfic "The Last Dragon". You can find it in my profile if you want a reference, but it's not necessary. There are a few similarities, but this has been seriously revamped since then. I won't yammer on anymore, just enjoy the first chapter! :D

-Spunky

**Disclaimer: I do not own Starfox. Any related characters, settings, etc. belong to Nintendo. I only own the OCs I've put in this story.**

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**Awakening**

It started with darkness, endless, enveloping, silent and somehow comforting. The world centered on the slow and steady beat of her heart, and it was something she could rely on always. Every beat was the same and came at the same time, a simple rhythm she could always keep time with. Her endless dreaming was interrupted by a new voice, one that leaked in through whatever crevice existed in the barrier of her mind. Softer than a frail whispering, it murmured incoherently. It became a low din, persistent but tucked away in the corners of her mind. The beat of her heart was slowly drowned out by the sound, and with her faithful metronome falling away from hearing, she began to stir.

Slowly she became more aware of herself. Her body was waking faster than she was, and it was a disorientating sensation. She could feel her core, her heart pulsating with vigor as it pumped life into her from her center all the way to her fingertips, toes and tail. She felt as though she was being smothered with cold fire, her whole frame wracked with an unnerving tingling. Her world began to spiral out of control, the noise growing louder and increasingly difficult to ignore. Her heart raced, and a thin line of light split the darkness and peeled it away to open up a new world beyond her protective walls.

When she came to, the noise had died down slightly to a steady hum, and her heart calmed slightly. It felt strange to actually be aware of her body like this. She felt weighed down by her own flesh, helplessly limp as she fought to regain control over limbs she hadn't used for as long as she could remember. Her vision slowly cleared, the new light almost painful at first, and her new surroundings only baffled her more.

She felt the urge to get up, her curiosity of this new place overpowering. It took her a moment to sit up, her head spinning. Carefully, she stooped over and slowly staggered to her feet, stumbling here and there until she could finally regain her stability. The world tilted back and forth for a while as she tried to grasp at her bearings.

The chamber was domed and enclosed in damp, moss-covered stone save for a thin crevice that allowed in light and air directly above her. Beyond were a few crudely carved steps that led down to a walkway narrowly bordered by a series of columns that extended high above to the curved ceiling. The walkway stopped at the far end, a carved archway outlining a massive collection of rock implying there used to be an entrance. Aside from that, it was a damp, musty and empty room.

The persistent humming from before became choppy and ragged, and the walls echoed the rumbling growl of something eating away at the stone. The racket was ear-splitting, and she covered them in fear of what could be making that sound to begin with. The stone-blocked doorway crumbled away and left behind a small opening that poured forth dust and smoke. Strange silhouettes appeared in the veil, all of them yammering on in a tongue she didn't plan to even begin trying to comprehend. When the smoke and dust cleared, they revealed themselves to be reptilian beings. Their ugly snouts blunted and rimmed with snaggleteeth that poke through scarred lips. Their amber eyes glowed in the dim of the room, and their thick armor glinted dully in the low light.

When the first one saw her, it gave a surprised hiss, shouting more unintelligible words. The others quickly joined in, all appearing surprised and even confused, a look she could only mirror in response. Who were these scaly creatures? One approached her slowly, mumbling more to itself it seemed, and looked her over curiously. It jabbed a clawed finger into her shoulder, speaking again in a suspicious tone. The feel of that sharp claw poke into her flesh made her shriek in surprise. The lizard only laughed out loud at this, his breath foul as his fanged maw snapped open with each guffaw. The others joined in, rallying around him. Another one spoke in a teasing manner, poking at her with a blunt club.

Her heart raced again as the air around her grew close and stagnant with the rank stench of their breath as they whooped in amusement, one finally grabbed her arm in a sudden act of aggression, making her jump in terror. A strange voice she _could_ understand flooded her ears.

_These people are dangerous. You have to get away from them._

Instinct told her to listen to the small still whisper in her head. She couldn't understand these reptiles, and their actions only served to frighten her. This voice was unearthly, but she understood its words clearly, and they echoed her thoughts. In a fit of strength, she yanked herself free of his grip and staggered away with a small howl of protest. They appeared displeased, snarling as the one who had grabbed her barked a command of some sort. The others closed in menacingly.

_Run._

Without another thought, she bolted away blindly, running to one side of the room. The reptiles followed clumsily, their limbs not built well enough to sprint as quickly as she did. What they lacked in speed, they made up for in teamwork, and after a bout of her evading them and attempting to reach the new exit, they had managed to trap her again.

_You'll have to try harder than that._

She frantically looked around, the scaly bodies closing in on her, and in a blind burst of fear, she bolted straight for the exit. To her panic, she was caught rather easily by the arm and pulled back into a tight hold. She thrashed frantically in those cold arms, trying to get away. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see one approaching her with the club from before, a sinister smirk curling its gnarled lips.

Something new in her clicked, a switch that activated a new instinct. Fear was quickly replaced with anger, and her thrashing grew more violent, loud growls rumbling deep in her throat. Her heart pounded, urging her on, and the reptile's smirk faded into shock, the club falling out of his scaly hand. It took her a moment to realize the unearthly hissing she was hearing was coming from her, but by then, her blood was roaring in her ears so loudly that any concern was drowned away in the noise of her own survival instinct.

_Do it. You know you can._

Fueled by an uncontrollable urge to fight back and survive, she sank her teeth into the thick hide of one holding her and tearing into his arm as best as she could to free herself. The salty tang of blood touched her tongue, and all else faded away.

The last thing any of the SharpClaw workers would see was the strange but terrifying sight of a young white she-wolf, beautiful at first with her vivid blue-green eyes, cascade of soft brown hair and foreign tattered clothes, turned so suddenly into a spitting craze, hissing and roaring with a voice that could not have possibly belonged to her. Most of all, they would fall to the sight of those striking eyes flickering unnaturally and drowning of all color, the blind gray eyes of their death peering into their souls and sucking away what life it could take for itself.

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**Author's Note: **And it begins! It's a little on the short side, yes, but all my fanfics seem to start out like that. It'll lengthen up in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed the small twist (unless you guessed it early on, which is fine too). Send a review my way, if you have time; I read and appreciate every bit of feedback I get! Check in for the next chapter, coming soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **I usually wait until I get a review to figure out if I'm going to continue a fanfic, but since this is a rewrite, and I'm kind of on a roll with this, I'm posting regardless XD Have fun B3

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**Long Shadows**

Krystal woke with a jolt, turquoise eyes sharp. She very rarely ever received distress calls now, and what she had just sensed wasn't exactly a signal. Still, for a brief moment she had sensed _something_. Fear and anger, pain and finally silence, what did it mean? The feeling was gone now, and she had no way of tracking it or trying to decipher it. A hand lightly gripping her arm pulled her away from her thoughts, and she looked down to see Fox groggily looking up at her.

"Everything okay?" he murmured as he tried to wake up fully.

She smiled despite her earlier concern. His striking red fur was a complete mess, his white blaze disheveled. He was utterly adorable.

"Yes, love, just a bad dream." She hummed pleasantly, giggling as she fixed his hair, "Good morning, sleepy."

Fox smiled back taking her hand in his and giving the new gold ring banded around her finger a light kiss. The Aparoid invasion had put a number of things into perspective for him, but most importantly that life was too short to not tell Krystal how he had felt about her the moment he saw her trapped on Sauria. It was obvious to everyone else they had feelings for each other, and he was sure deep down they both knew as well. After everything was said and done, and the team finally had a moment to themselves between helping to rebuild Corneria and keeping themselves afloat, the two had a good long talk about life and what the future held now that peace had returned to Lylat.

For Fox, these last few years with her had been the happiest he had ever lived since the death of his parents. Krystal brought light and warmth to his life in a way no one else could hope to do. Everything from her smile to the odd quirk of her tail when she was irked was a delight to him, and while they did have their fair share of tiffs and spats, they were always able to work past them, and he knew that there could never be anyone else in his life but her. Her caring and gentle soul was a soothing presence he always craved. When he finally worked up the courage to propose, he saw no doubt in her eyes as she accepted.

Now here they were, honeymooning on the planet where everything had begun for them, snuggled together in the open air beneath the shade of their Arwings paired together like swans heralding their new union. Their picnic blanket was tousled beneath them, cool grass tickling their fur where the blanket had slipped away, but they had no trouble keeping warm in the night air. The balmy morning was almost as pleasant, the dawn slowly fading to mid-morning, a cooling breeze carrying a sweet scent of tropical flora. All Fox could think about was the beautiful vixen scratching behind his ear.

"A bad dream? Nah, that's not as allowed." He laughed, "As your fearless leader, I forbid you to have another nightmare in this bed again."

"Oh, is that so?" Krystal quirked a brow in amusement, stifling a laugh as she teased, "I hope you realize you're only leader of your team. As far as our marriage is concerned, I'm pretty sure I wear the pants."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that." He sat up, sticking his tongue out playfully, "If it helps you fall asleep at night."

"You goof," she laughed, pulling on his tongue before he could slick it back in, "Now that that's cleared up, what's our agenda today?"

Fox pushed her back down with a kiss, touching his nose to hers with a grin. "I wouldn't mind lazing about right here with you for a while."

Krystal couldn't help but blush as she giggled, pressing her palm to the side of his face and running her fingers through his fur. "I think I can handle that."

The two leaned in for another kiss when a low thumping interrupted them, growing louder and more forceful as whatever was running up to them came closer.

"Oh no…" Fox groaned.

"Good _mooooorning_!" Came Tricky's bellow, the massive EarthWalker a bundle of energy as he muscled around the back of the Arwings to greet them.

Tricky had obviously been overjoyed to see his friends again and even more so that they had actually taken up his offer to spend their honeymoon here. Fox had struck a deal that they were not to be disturbed after sunset and before sunrise in exchange for plenty of visits to lighten up Tricky's otherwise fairly dull, as he had seen it, royal duties. Fox couldn't be mad since Tricky _had_ waited until after sunrise, but he was cutting it close, and he had hoped for just a little more alone time.

"Good morning, Tricky." Krystal smiled through a soft yawn, softly pushing Fox to one side so she could sit up again, thankful she was decent enough for visitors.

"You're up early." Fox was less enthused.

"Are you kidding? I couldn't sleep a wink thinking about all the places I want to show you two. Sauria looks so much better now thanks to your friends' help!" the dinosaur beamed.

With General Scales' path of devastation and the Aparoids' infiltration so close together, Sauria had definitely seen better days when the smoke cleared. Corneria had been the hardest hit, but Fox had managed to talk General Pepper into pulling a few strings and allowing volunteers to aid in the planet's reform as a humanitarian project. Sauria was now flourishing as a result, and the reform even helped to further strengthen its ties with the rest of Lylat. Fox couldn't help but be a little excited, too, to see how well things had turned out, despite the untimely interruption.

"A tour does sound nice." Krystal smiled sweetly at the thought, "What do you think, Fox?"

Fox looked into the ever bright, albeit somewhat oblivious, eyes of the EarthWalker and then back at his new wife, lips curling into a smile. "It does sound nice. Give us a second to clean up, Tricky, and we'll be ready."

Tricky was all smiles as he leapt away a small distance with great bounds to give them space, the ground trembling with each heavy footfall. Fox sighed as Krystal stood with a lengthy stretch and retrieved their bags from the cargo hatches of their Arwings and began to dress once she knew for sure Tricky was far enough away and not looking.

"So much for our lazy morning." Fox chuckled.

"I know, but don't be sad." She smirked, dropping his clothes over his head, "We can still have a lazy night."

Fox looked up with a pout, a sock draped over his snout and jeans wrapped around his neck. They shared a serious glance for only a moment before bursting into laughter.

"I love you." Fox continued to laugh as he stood up and quickly changed.

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The sun had now reached its highest point in the sky as Tricky concluded his tour of the Walled City. It truly looked much restored to its former glory. The stone barricades had been rebuilt and better fortified, the temple refurbished, even the local plant life seemed rejuvenated by the overhaul. The trio chatted animatedly about the goings-on in their lives since they had seen each other last. Fox was proud to hear the conviction in Tricky's voice when he spoke of Sauria and his tribe. He really had grown into a fine king for his people. Of course, they shared stories of their adventures as part of Starfox, even if they were few and far between these days. It didn't matter to Tricky. Fox could tell even though he appreciated the responsibility of being a king, there would always be a part of him that was still that little kid with starry eyes as he received his honorary membership. That time didn't seem so long ago, to be honest. Their reminiscing was interrupted by and EarthWalker guard's approach, his greeting respectful but urgent.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we've received a report from Dragon Rock." He looked wary, "This is something you need to hear for yourself."

Tricky nodded in agreement, "Right," he looked back at his friends as they slid off his back to let him go, "I'll be right back, guys. Do you mind hanging here?"

"Actually, sir, your friends may want to come too. They may find this interesting." The guard put in meekly.

"Oh?" Fox was perplexed as to why, but he agreed to come along.

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"I thought the SharpClaws were pirates?" Krystal asked perplexed as they entered Dragon Rock, "Why would they want to establish a settlement? And here of all places?"

The destruction wrought by General Scales had taken its toll on this land. Neither Fox nor Krystal knew what this place had looked like originally before it was mutated into the wasteland it was now. It had improved somewhat now that the world had time to rest, but Fox didn't notice any marked differences. It reminded him of the Titania deserts, lots of sand and sharp rock. All of the old facilities had long since been torn down, and all that remained of those days were battered frames standing like skeletons in the hot winds.

"After those bugs attacked, all of our resources went into rebuilding, and finding material was hard." Tricky explained, "The SharpClaw used that as an opportunity to try and take over by controlling supplies, but it didn't get very far." He smirked, "So now they've gone back to pirating supplies for their own tribe. They must want a home base and figured since nobody lives here anymore, this would be the place to go."

"I guess that makes sense." Fox shrugged, "But it sounds like they didn't get very far. Your scout said they had deserted this place fairly quickly. I wonder why?"

"He also mentioned they were saying something about mammals." Krystal pondered further, "But those volunteers never came here, did they?"

Tricky shook his head, "Uh-uh, it was too dangerous when they were here. The sandstorms that passed through made it unsafe to pass through."

"Your Highness, we've found something!" a fellow guard called out, a second observing what looked like a pile of rock.

Tricky led the two to the cliff side where his guards waited. "What is it?"

"Looks like the SharpClaw were doing some digging. This is one of the Cornerian machines they took." The guard pointed the blunt of his nose at a large drill left abandoned by further inside the new passageway.

Krystal's muscles locked up as she peered inside. That same feeling of danger from earlier that morning had returned, and all of her senses were screaming at her not to go inside.

"Something's wrong." She shook her head, "I sense something…horrible." She shuddered, a chill creeping up her spine.

"Like what?" Fox looked concerned. He had never seen her so petrified.

"I'm not sure, but whatever is in there does _not_ want anyone or anything near it-" she paused, "Wait…it's gone?"

"Gone?" Tricky was confused, looking from her to the opening, "It couldn't just vanish, could it?"

"I don't know." Krystal was growing frustrated. This was the second time today this had happened!

"Well," Fox straightened, taking a step inside the doorway, "Only one way to find out."

"Fox, be careful. I'm coming too." Krystal hurried after him, only to be stopped.

"No, you stay out here just in case the danger isn't really gone." Fox blocked her way.

"_Love_, we're a team now, remember? Going all by yourself is a rookie mistake, and you are no rookie." She spoke evenly, her stare hard as stone.

Fox sighed. She could be so stubborn. "Okay, but stay behind me." He led the way in, "Tricky, you wait out here."

Krystal swallowed hard as they walked in. The pungent odor of moss and mildew filled the damp room with a musty smell that made her nose wrinkle. A thin ray of light illuminated the dark very slightly, enough for her to make out a sight that immediately made her understand why that feeling had returned.

The bodies were littered in every which way, all of them SharpClaw. There weren't many, thankfully, only a handful, but it was enough to make the message clear. What sent a shiver under her skin was the actual bodies. They had all been somehow twisted into unnatural forms, eyes wide open and mouths pulled so far open, it looked as though someone, or something, had broken their jaws to pry them farther apart.

"Krystal, over here!" Fox called, making her jump out of her skin in surprise.

She forced herself to take a breath and walked over to him. He knelt down by a larger body and had rolled it away to reveal an unusual sight.

She was a wolf, pure white with light brown hair and torn clothing. Strange black designs were placed on her back, arms and chest, and while she knew she had never seen them before, something about them felt familiar, the sharp points and shapes reminiscent of something she knew she _had_ seen at some point.

"She's alive." Fox said after a moment of checking her pulse, "We need to get her out of here."

Krystal was fixated on the markings. Why were these so familiar?

"Don't tell me you've forgotten."

She looked down in shock, the young lady's lips curled into a grin, her eyes still closed.

"After everything we've been through? How could you not remember, vile Cerinian?"

Krystal was frozen in place as suddenly her eyes shot open. They were serpentine, dripping red with fresh blood, and they stared straight at her. She grinned wider, revealing shiny black fangs, sharp and interlocking, and without warning, she shot up like a coiled viper and sank her teeth into the vixen's throat. Krystal shrieked, trying to free herself, but struggling only made the girl clamp down tighter. Despite her mouth full of flesh, Krystal could hear her voice clearly, disjointed and crackling like burning wood.

_Do you remember now, Krystal? Because I remember._

Krystal whimpered as she felt her grip tighten to the point of closing her windpipe.

_ I've thought about it every day for years. I remember you. I remember what you and your people did to my kind. You will all pay for your sins. I have returned from hell to see that you all are punished, and I will make sure you have felt my pain. All of you are going to burn, and there is nothing you can do to stop it._

Tears streamed down her face in horror. She couldn't breathe, and her strength was fading. She felt herself going limp.

"Krystal!"

Krystal gasped in surprise, the jaws suddenly gone from her neck. The girl was still passed out, no bleeding red eyes, no demonic voices, no pain. She looked up at Fox terrified.

"We're all in terrible danger." Her voice trembled.

A sharp and powerful screech split the air, piercing straight through into her mind and overloading her senses. So many images flickered before her eyes that she couldn't sort through any of them. All she could see clearly were those eyes, full of pain and fury as they bled. Fox's worried expression melted away, and that same voice now spoke his once gentle words with such bile.

_What's wrong, Krystal? Why don't you say anything? Talk to me!_

Krystal fought hard to free herself from the hallucination, but the screech only grew louder until her body finally came to her rescue and shut down, her world turning black and finally quiet as she passed out.

"Krystal!" Fox cried, horrified as he watched her tremble and moan, her eyes glazed over a sickening dead gray.

He was almost glad for a moment when she passed out, glad that she was no longer suffering. Relief was fleeting, though, and he rushed to her, scooping her up in his arms.

"It's okay, I'm here." He soothed, hoping somehow his voice would reach her.

"What's going on, Fox!?" Tricky called from outside.

"Krystal needs help!" Fox called back, cradling her as he carried her out and gently laid her down to go get the incapacitated she-wolf.

His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he picked her up. Something about her had affected Krystal, he just knew it. Who was this girl? What was she doing amongst a field of mutilated SharpClaw? What could have happened to them? There were too many questions, not enough answers, and despite all of this, all he could think about was how hard he prayed for Krystal to be all right.

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**Author's Note: **Oooooh snap! It's getting craaaaazy up in here! Tell me what you think so far, I'd love to hear how you reacted B3 I'd also like to point out that, in my own little head-canon Command never happened. I realize it was more of a what-if story, but there were way too many things I disliked about it, and I'd just rather not XD So this is taking place a couple years after Assault. Thank you for reading!


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